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A local fisherman was able to keep his catches out of Nazi hands during the Occupation by telling a few little lies, which German soldiers fell hook, line and sinker for, historians have revealed.
The story of George the fisherman, who had spent many years prior to the Second World War fishing along Bonne Nuit Bay with knowledge of all the best spots, was uncovered by Jersey War Tunnels.
They shared the fishy-tale with Express...
"During the Occupation of Jersey, fishing became restricted, along with many other activities. Military orders stipulated that all local fishermen had to be issued with a licence in order to operate.
As petrol was severely restricted and rationed, George had to row his boat. Even more inconveniently, he also had to be accompanied by a German soldier as his guard on every trip.
The same large soldier sat in the back of the dinghy for every trip, wearing full uniform and holding his rifle upright. While it must have made for a comical sight, the extra bulk and weight made rowing an even more arduous task. Fortunately for George, he knew all about the run of the local tides which helped him considerably, and the regular fishing trips continued.
Pictured: George and his passenger were shot at near Bonne Nuit pier.
One day, as George had manoeuvred his boat near the foot of the cliff not far from Bonne Nuit pier, him and his passenger came under fire from a couple of trigger-happy Germans on the shore. The guard jumped up, shouted a warning and the firing stopped.
Luckily, neither of the men were hit but one stray bullet had made a hole in the hull of the boat and water started seeping in. George pulled hard on the oars, hoping to get back to the safety of the harbour before the boat sank. But as the water level rose, he realised he was not going to make it unaided.
As he didn't know a word of German, George gestured to his guard to take off his helmet. Met with a blank stare, he grabbed it and used it to bale out water from the sinking boat.
Handing the helmet back to the now frightened soldier, he exhorted him with frantic gestures to continue baling. With George rowing and the soldier baling, the pair made it back to the pier just in time - safe but no doubt slightly damp.
Pictured: George would lie about his catch, saying it was for the Kommandant, to avoid it being seized by soldiers.
When he wasn't being shot at, George did manage to catch a few fish. There was always a ready market for it and he had a few favoured customers. He would set off up the steep hill from Bonne Nuit, pushing his bike and carrying the catch.
If he was ever challenged by German soldiers who fancied a few fish for themselves, George always insisted that it was "all for the Kommandant", so they didn’t dare touch it.
No one ever checked his story and George became regarded as the Kommandant’s personal fisherman, free to go on his way with his catch. In reality, the Kommandant never even got a sniff of it."
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